Making Ireland Modern

Concrete Logic

A symposium on the technology and culture of concrete architecture in twentieth-century Ireland and beyond. Curated by Gary A.Boyd and John McLaughlin.

Keynote lecture by Shelley McNamara, Grafton Architects.

Concrete Logic (supported by the ARUP Trust) is the finissage of Making Ireland Modern a Touring Project in  ART: 2016 – The Art Council’s programme as part of Ireland 2016. It was originally presented as Infra Éireann – Making Ireland Modern at the 2014 International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Ireland at Venice as an initiative of Culture Ireland and the Arts Council.

DATE & TIME: Saturday 12th November, 9am – 1.30pm

TICKETS: Free but booking essential

VENUE: NCAD, Thomas Street, Dublin 8

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Event details:

9 – 9.15 Registration

9 .15 – 9.30 Introduction Gary A Boyd + John McLaughlin

9.30 – 10.40 Session 1: Concrete Cultures  featuring Dr Ellen Rowley (IRC) – the concretisation of health; Dr Sarah A Lappin (QUB) and Una Walker (NCAD) – Michael Scott and Ove Arup: Two Buildings for Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ); Dr Jennifer Greitschus (ARUP)  – Concrete Inspirations      

10.50 -12 noon Session 2: Pourings, Prefabrications and Landscapes featuring Aoibheann Ni Mhearain (UCD) – prefabricated education: Mary And Peter Doyle at Birr; Brian Ward (DIT) – Infrastructural adhocism: Noel Dowley and the architecture of Irish telecommunications; Denis Linehan (UCC) – Histories of the Future: Urbanism and Speed-Space. 

12.10 -1.10pm Session 3 Keynote: Concrete Logic Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects

1.10-1.25 pm closing remarks/summary and thanks.

Making Ireland Modern Motorway Tour

A series of Making Ireland Modern Bus Tours took place on Sunday 16th October as part of Open House Dublin in collaboration with Dublin Bus.

Sean Cullen led a tour by double decker bus exploring the social geography of Motorways and connections between Roads infrastructure and Data infrastructure. The route included the M50 and the M1 with interchanges designed by Grafton Architects and Roughan and O’Donovan Civil Engineers.

Sean Cullen is an architecture graduate and PhD research student at Queen’s University Belfast. His thesis, supervised by Gary Boyd and John McLaughlin, investigated how contemporary data storage could be integrated into district heating systems. His current research investigates the application of climatically responsive building envelopes with big data in order to reduce energy consumption in buildings. 

Making Ireland Modern Bus Tour

A series of Making Ireland Modern Bus Tours took place on Sunday 16th October as part of Open House Dublin in collaboration with Dublin Bus.

Dr Sarah A Lappin led two guided tours by double decker bus of Dublin’s Modernist transport infrastructure. The tour included stops at Michael Scott’s 1950s transport projects including Busáras and Donnybrook Bus Garage as well as a mobile discussion on the bus exploring the work of Scott and Ove Arup for CIÉ. Arriving into Donnybrook Bus Garage on the top of a double decker was a highlight!

Dr Sarah A Lappin (BA Columbia, MArch Princeton, PhD University of Ulster, RIBA)  is an architect who teaches theory and design at Queens University Belfast.  As a practitioner, she worked on a large range of projects including preservation and healthcare.  Dr Lappin is co-founder of the All-Ireland Architectural Research Group, and is the current Chair of the Steering Group of the Architectural Humanities Research Association. Dr Lappin and Una Walker researched and co-authored the chapter ‘Bus Transportation – Córas Iompair Éireann and Michael Scott’ in Infra-Éireann: Infrastructure and the Architectures of Modernity in Ireland 1916 – 2016.

Making Ireland Modern opens in Dublin

Making Ireland Modern was launched on Thursday 13th October at the Real Tennis Court, Earlsfort Terrace.

The exhibition was opened by Orlaith McBride, Director, Arts Council; Christine Sisk, Director, Culture Ireland and Ciaran O’Connor, State Architect, Office of Public Works.

The exhibition continues until 12 November and is open daily from 11am – 4pm.

Lunchtime Talks: Roads

Wednesday 28th September at 1pm. St Peters, North Main Street, Cork
Free, first come first served. All welcome.

‘We must have motorways’ – Ireland, the Highway and Modernity // Denis Linehan, UCC

Introduction by John McLaughlin

Denis Linehan is a social and cultural geographer. He graduated from the University of Nottingham with a PhD in 1997. He joined the School of human Environment: Geography and Archaeology at UCC in 1999, having previously worked at the University of Lancaster and University of Lancaster. Dr Linehan’s publications include Atlas of Cork City (2005), Spacing Ireland (2013) and Ordnance: War + Architecture & Space (2013).

Volunteer with Making Ireland Modern

Applications are now open for volunteers for Making Ireland Modern in Dublin.

This is an opportunity to spend time at the exhibition in an amazing building which is not generally accessible to the public at The Real Tennis Court, Earlsfort terrace.

Invigilation times will be during the opening hours of 11am – 4pm daily. If you are interested in volunteering we can tailor a schedule to suit your availability.

Please contact Tara hello@makingirelandmodern.ie or (01) 2845175 to register your interest.

We are extremely grateful for the support of past and present volunteers. Thank you!

Making Ireland Modern Children’s Workshops

Based on Making Ireland Modern, St Peters have programmed a music, movement and design workshop for children.

Age: 6 – 10 year olds.

Date: Saturday 24th September. There are two available sessions, at 11am and 2pm. Free but booking essential.

Further details and booking via St Peters website here.

Lunchtime Talks: Power

Wednesday 21st September at 1pm. St Peters, North Main Street, Cork
Free, first come first served. All welcome.

Advertising the Shannon Scheme // Deirdre McParland, ESB Archives

Ardnacrusha: Engineering the ground // Miriam Dunn, SAUL

introduction by John McLaughlin

Deirdre McParland joined ESB Archives as Senior Archivist in October 2015, having previously gained extensive experience in business archives including managing the Guinness Archive. Deirdre has published papers in the Archives and Records Association of Ireland, Irish Archives Journal, Irish Roots and Irish Central as well as guest speaker at historical and professional seminars.

Miriam Dunn is an architect and Lecturer at SAUL, School of Architecture, University of Limerick.

Upcoming lunchtime talk:

Wednesday 28th September – Roads

Lunchtime Talk: Education

Thursday 15 September, 1pm. St Peters, North Main Street, Cork

Free, first come first served. All welcome.

‘My father has got a tractor shed like this’ – The Doyles, the Concrete Frame and the Democratisation of Education

Talk by Aoibheann Ní Mhearáin

Introduction by John McLaughlin

Upcoming lunchtime talks:
Wednesday 21 September – Power
Wednesday 28 September – Roads

Making Ireland Modern Launches in Cork

Making Ireland Modern was officially launched at St Peters Cork on Thursday 8th September.

The exhibition was opened by Cllr. Des Cahill, Lord Mayor of Cork, Prof. Kevin McCartney, Director of Cork Centre for Architectural Education and Jerry O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of ESB.

The exhibition continues in Cork until Saturday 1st October.